Part one of what I hope will be on the coming "perfect storm" of financial and environmental crises that will threaten America's number one status
I find myself forced by necessity to discuss a great number of combined factors here folks, so please bear with me.
We live in a very interesting time in world history. Unfettered capitalism is hitting a wall in both capacity (think resources and people) and of its ability to shape a narrative that people will buy on a large enough scale to swing elections.
In 2008 the entire economy lost it's mind as vast amounts of wealth evaporated overnight. Instead of reigning in the excess and regulating the finance market, our elected leaders decided to double down. Our government saved and rewarded those who should have at least, been punished.
To add insult to injury the ink was scarcely dry on the pay bonuses and salary increases of the very same finance industry and moneyed interests that caused this catastrophic collapse, then the very same people started screaming for "austerity" (read: the destruction of what is left of the social safety net)
Interestingly enough both here in America and abroad the working class has yet to draw a point on a line between massive financial fraud on a level unseen since the beginning of this country and the crushing level of debt that our grandchildren will have to pay.
Hurricane Sandy brought into consciousness the possibility of climate change as a real topic of national debate but I severely doubt that we as a country will be able to make any real sense of what is happening climate wise until we face a serious threat to our way of life on a national scale.
I believe that this has happened because of two major factors.
1. Our government and media have been completely captured.
2. American debt is cheap, the rest of the world sees the United States as a safe haven for money. This, is what ultimately will be our undoing.
American debt is cheap because we are the worlds sole remaining superpower.
The disturbing question I will ask is as follows:
What happens when Europe gets back on it's feet and China starts consuming rather then loaning us their entire manufacturing base on a debt basis?
We no longer produce anything in this country. What production we do have is primarily centered towards the military industrial complex. We have a economy structured on an excess of petroleum and cheap Chinese money.
Our infrastructure is outdated, in a shambles and far over capacity for the number of people we have in this country.
The window we have to borrow money cost free is disappearing. Financial regulation will come too late and by the time we as a country will come to realize the depths to which we have been sold out, we will be a third world nation at best, and consumed by revolution and unrest at worst.
Unrest is what I will talk about because I believe that unrest is coming in this country. This will not be a peaceful time in our history because we are in a perfect storm of circumstances both economic and environmental.
More later.